The Red Hand Flag

The St. George's cross defaced with the red hand, a six pointed star, and the crown, is the flag many foreigners associate with Northern Ireland. It has not had any official sanction since 1972.

In 1924 the Government of Northern Ireland was granted arms by Royal Warrant and had the right to display these arms on a flag or banner. This right was exercised for the Coronation in 1953. Between 1953 and 1973, the so-called "Red Hand Flag" was the arms of the Government of Northern Ireland and commonly used during this period as a de facto civil flag. It ceased to have official sanction when the Stormont Assembly was dissolved in 1972. It is based on the flag of Ulster. The yellow background became white, to more closely resemble the flag of England. The crown symbolises the loyalty of Ulster Protestants to the British Monarchy. There is a dispute as to the meaning of the star, with some maintaining it is the Star of David, and others say it represents the six counties that make up Northern Ireland.

The Flag of Ulster

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The Flag of Ulster

A red cross on a golden field (from the arms of Norman coloniser, John de Courcy), charged with a white shield and the red hand (of the native O'Neills) is a banner of arms of the historic province of Ulster.

Although Ulster and Northern Ireland are used interchangably in some press reports, Ulster forms one of the ancient provinces of the island of Ireland and consists of nine counties. Three of these now form part of the Republic of Ireland. The remaining six counties became Northern Ireland.